Why are there different funeral rituals?

While death and grief are universally shared experiences, the ways in which people acknowledge death and memorialise their loved ones are diverse.

Why are there different funeral practices?

Different countries and communities around the world have varying ways of holding funerals to mark the passing of the deceased and comfort people in mourning. This is also true for the burial and cremation practices that follow, which can be influenced by different secular and religious beliefs.

Watch this video to learn more about some of the ways people choose to memorialise their loved ones:

 

Click here to access the video transcript. This transcript is automatically generated from YouTube.

The role of cemeteries

We recognise that it is important for everyone to have the opportunity to farewell and mourn their loved ones however they choose to do so.

The role of public cemeteries is to reflect and cater to the needs of the local communities they serve. GMCT provide a range of burial, cremation and memorialisation options across our cemeteries and memorial parks, and work to accommodate specific practices or traditions wherever we can.

Planning for the future

GMCT works together with local communities to understand their values, and provide spaces and services to meet those needs, wherever we can. We understand that this is especially important when planning and designing new spaces to care for future generations.

You can tell us more about your needs on our Your Say community engagement page or found out more about how we engage with our local communities.


Video animation

Script by Professor Avril Maddrell, University of Reading.

Animation by Stacy Bias. Cover image by Stacy Bias.